Identification button for garments



Oct. 3, 1967 A. L. GRIFFIN YETAL 3,344,543 i IDENTIFICATION BUTTON FOR GARMENTS I I Filed June so, 1965 mm, L. Griff/n Earl G. Chehgynd v lNV NTORS United States Patent 3,344,543 IDENTIFICATION BUTTON FOR GARMENTS Anthony L. Grill-in, 107 Division St., Amsterdam, N.Y.

12010, and Earl G. Chetwynd, 6 Steele Ave., Gloversville, NY. 12078 Filed June so, 1965, Ser. No. 468,285 2 Claims. (Cl. 40-1.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The garment button revealed is adapted for garments which are temporarily hung or suspended from a rack or the like at public places, such as for example, restaurants, schools, a classroom, bowling alley or the like. It is characterized by first and second button units wherein the head of the first unit is provided with readily viewable The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in an identification button for garments which is functionally designed and structurally adapted for garments which are temporarily hung or suspended from a rack or the like at public places such as, for example, a restaurant, a school or class cloakroom, bowling alley, skating rink or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide two-part identification buttons which are readily attachable to and detachable from the garment and lend themselves to ready and reliable use in association with a buttonhole in the garments collar, lapel or elsewhere, the visible unit or part of the button having identification indicia ample in character that the observer is given the owners name, street address (city and state) and telephone number.

More particularly the invention pertains to sectional buttons wherein two principal component parts or units are readily separable and connectible and provided with cooperable features which can be sprung together in a manner to couple the units and wherein, in addition, a manually applicable and removable key is needed to release resilient latches with Which the parts are provided before they can be parted and the over-all button removed from the garment.

In carrying out the present invention a first unit or part is characterized by a head which has an obverse face provided with readily available identification indicia, this unit being provided on its reverse garment confronting face with an axial recess and, in addition, an axially projecting hollow shank with the hollow portion registering with the recess and cooperating and defining a socket. A second unit, complemental to the first unit, is provided and embodies a positioning and retaining flange. This flange is provided on its garment abutting face with a neck-like assembling and orienting stud which provides the desired coupling means between the axial portions of the units and which extends when in'use through the garment buttonhole. This stud is provided with a terminal head providing keeper seats and the shank has diametrically opposite latching detents which normally abut their respective keeper seats so that the units or parts can be sprung together and releasably coupled.

Then, too, novelty is predicated on the construction briefly set forth and wherein a readily insertable and removable key has a specially constructed shank to cooperate with the bore of the stud and also with slots therein and has lugs projecting through the slots to engage the spring latches or detents in a manner to either apply or release the latches, as the case may be.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective showing a garment having a buttonhole (not detailed) with the improved identification button connected therewith, the visible part or unit of the button being shown and the other unit or part being hidden.

FIGURE 2 is a view taken approximately on the plane of section line 22 of FIGURE 1 but with the parts or units appearing in edge elevation.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 with the parts in elevation and separated but readily connectible when lined up and fitted together.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view primarily in section and taken on the plane of the section line 44 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a section on the plane of the section line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view in section and elevation similar to FIGURE 4 but showing how when the key is inserted the latches or detents are forcibly bent and released.

FIGURE 7 is a view in front elevation showing a slight modification in the construction and arrangement of the indicia.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged sectional and elevational view taken approximately on the plane of the line 88 of FIGURE 7.

Referring now to the views of the drawing it will be noted that the main button unit or part, the one which is visible when in use, is denoted by the numeral 10. The second or complemental button unit or part (not seen when in use) is denoted by the numeral 12. The part 10 is characterized by a circular or disk-like head 14 having a convex obverse face or surface 16 and a flat reverse surface 18. The convex surface 16 is provided with suitably embossed or otherwise displayed indicia which is denoted in general by the numeral 18. The indicia preferably will present the full name of the owner, his street address, city and state and, if desired, his home telephone number as suggested in FIGURE 1. In the axial portion of the reverse side a pocket-like depression or recess 20 is provided and this is registerable with the hollow portion of a hollow laterally axially projecting member here identified as a shank 22. The hollow portion and recess conjointly define a stud receiving socket. On its interior the shank 22 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposite steel spring or equivalent snap fastening latches, each of L-shape form. The long arm or limb (see FIG- URES 4 and 6) is denoted at 24 and the lateral free forward end portion at 26. One end of the limb 24 is suitably anchored at 28 and the terminal end portion 26 is operable in a lateral depression 30 provided therefor and lined up with the coacting groove 32 whereby to permit each latch to be amply retracted to assume the out-ofthe-way posiiton shown in FIGURE 4 when released.

The secondary or companion unit 12 is of one-piece form and it likewise is characterized by a head and shank. However, to distinguish this part or unit from the unit 10 it comprises a fiat faced flange 34 which abuts the garment surface in the manner suggested in phantom lines. It is provided on its abutting face 36 with an axial neck-like assembling and orienting stud 38 (FIGURE 3) which is such in length and cross-section that it can be telescopingly fitted into the aforementioned socket. The stud has a bore 40 which extends therethrough, as shown in FIGURE 6. This bore registers with a keyhole slot 42. Diametrically opposite shoulders or keeper seats are provided at 44 for reception and retention of the spring latches in the manner shown in FIGURE 4. In addition diametrically opposite slots 45 afford communication between the bore 40 and keeper seats to thus accommodate the insertable and removable shank 46 of the manually insertable and removable key 48. The ring or grip 50 of the key is at the outer end of the shank and the inner end of the shank has a piloting and turning journal or tip 52 which is operable in a depression 54 provided therefor. The key is also provided with diametrically opposite outstanding lugs 56 which cooperate with the slots 45 and also the keeper seats 44 and which line up with the spring latches as shown in FIGURE 6. Accordingly, when the thus especially constructed stud 38 is fitted telescopically into the socket means it will be evident that the spring latches 24 when properly lined up will automatically spring behind their keeper seats so as to properly but separably couple the two units 10 and 12 together against opposite sides fthe lapel or other portions of the garment in the manner shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2. When it is necessary to remove the button and to thus separate the parts for withdrawal from the buttonhole the key 48 is brought into play in the manner shown in FIGURE 6. The key is simply inserted and the lugs 56 serve to retract the latches 24 and release the same from the keeper seats 44. Consequently the parts or units can be readily put together or taken apart in a seemingly clear manner.

It is within the purview of the invention to display the indicia in a manner different from the embossed adaptation shown in FIGURE 1. For example as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 the convex surface 60 of the head unit 62 can be provided with a cavity or depression 64 which is closed at the bottom and open at the top to permit a printed indicia card to be inserted. The card is denoted at 66 and is held in place by a transparent plastic or equivalent shield or cover 68 which is constructed to be slid into the recess and which is held in place by a cotter key or the like as at 70. The complemental or secondary unit in this instance is denoted generally at 72 in FIGURE 8. The only and distinguishing difference in FIGURES 7 and 8 has to do with the way of providing the indicia.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A badge-like identification button embodying a first button unit embodying a head having an obverse face provided with identification indicia and having a reverse face provided with an axial recess opening through said face and further provided with a complemental outstanding hollow shank, the hollow portion of said shank being aligned with said recess and combining therewith and defining a socket for telescoping reception of an insertable and removable stud, said shank being provided on an interior with a pair of diametrically opposite substantially L-shaped spring fingers providing latch-like detents, said fingers being anchored and retained in place at outer ends on an outer end portion of said shank and having their inner ends free, said inner free ends being flexed and normally spring biased inwardly and toward each other and assuming converging latching relationship, a readily attachable and detachable second button unit complemental to said first unit and comprising a circular flange provided on an outwardly disposed side with an integral axially extending neck-like stud, said stud telescoping and being fitted removably into the aforementioned socket, said stud having diametrically opposite key accommodating slots and communicating diametrically opposite shoulders providing keepers and registerable with and releasably retaining said latch-like detents in unit assembling but separable relationship.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 and, in combination, a readily applicable and removable key separate from said first and second units, the aforementioned flange being provided at its axial hub portion with a keyhole for insertion and removal of said key, said stud being essentially hollow and provided with an axial passage communicatively registering with said keyhole, said passage functioning to allow the key to be manually inserted and removed, said key embodying a stem, said stem being slidable but not rotatable in said passage and being provided with oppositely disposed lugs for tripping and releasing said latch-like detents and being slidably operable in their respectively cooperable slots.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 818,087 4/ 1906 Harris 24-l 10 1,631,880 6/1927 Morton 24-110 2,940,199 6/1960 Goldberg 40-301 FOREIGN PATENTS 223,245 11/1942 Switzerland.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A BADGE-LIKE IDENTIFICATION BUTTON EMBODYING A FIRST BUTTON UNIT EMBODYING A HEAD HAVING AN OBVERSE FACE PROVIDED WITH IDENTIFICATION INDICIA AND HAVING A REVERSE FACE PROVIDING WITH AN AXIAL RECESS OPENING THROUGH SAID FACE AND FURTHER PROVIDED WITH A COMPLEMENTAL OUTSTANDING HOLLOW SHANK, THE HOLLOW PORTION OF SAID SHANK BEING ALIGNED WITH SAID RECESS AND COMBINING THEREWITH AND DEFINING A SOCKET FOR TELESCOPING RECEPTION OF AN INSERTABLE AND REMOVABLE STUD, SAID SHANK BEING PROVIDED ON AN INTERIOR WITH A PAIR OF DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE SUBSTANTIALLY L-SHAPED SPRING FINGERS PROVIDING LATCH-LIKE DETENTS, SAID FINGETS BEING ANCHORED AND RETAINED IN PLACE AT OUTER ENDS ON AN OUTER END PORTION OF SAID SHANK AND HAVING THEIR INNER ENDS FREE, SAID INNER FREE ENDS BEING FLEXED AND NORMALLY SPRING BIASED INWARDLY AND TOWARD EACH OTHER AND ASSUMING CONVERGING LATCHING RELATIONSHIP, A READILY ATTACHABLE AND DETACHABLE SECOND BUTTON UNIT COMPLEMENTAL TO SAID FIRST UNIT AND COMPRISING A CIRCULAR FLANGE PROVIDED ON AN OUTWARDLY DISPOSED SIDE WITH AN INTEGRAL AXIALLY EXTENDING NECK-LINE STUD, SAID STUD TELESCOPING AND BEING FITTED REMOVABLY INTO THE AFOREMEMTIONED SOCKET, SAID STUD HAVING DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE KEY ACCOMMODATING SLOTS AND COMMUNICATING DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE SHOULDERS PROVIDING KEEPERS AND REGISTERABLE WITH AND RELEASABLY RETAINING SAID LATCH-LIKE DETENTS IN UNIT ASSEMBLING BUT SEPARABLE RELATIONSHIP. 